Atlas new N scale model announcement

[ek2000]

Atlas has been putting out a lot of N scale products over the last 2 to 3 years. Consider the GP and SD series locomotives, atleast 3 to 4 models in each. Same with Alco locomotives 628/630, C420, RS 11. Yes they do have a backlog but I have faith they will show up.

Even companies with their own factory like Rapido have been taking 18 to 24 months to deliver after the announcement. BLI and ScaleTrains have been exceptions, coming out with products quickly. Maybe they only announce after reaching a certain stage in their product development. E.g. ST had samples on the day they announced the Standard Turbine and Multimax autoracks.

[cjm413]

The announcement video is already up: https://www.wgh.life/main-lobby. Close your eyes if you don't want to read the spoiler.

Skip to 0:57 in the vid. 1992 Ford F350 Crew Cab and F250 with utility body. Tooling was acquired from Riverpoint Station.

Don't be fooled by the mis-scripted "Our first announcement in N...", 'cause that was the only one. Other announcements are a MP36 variant in HO and "select" models acquired from MTH in 3-rail O scale.

HO MP36 is former True Line Trains, hopefully some of their N scale line will follow

[Ike the BN Freak]

Even companies with their own factory like Rapido have been taking 18 to 24 months to deliver after the announcement. BLI and ScaleTrains have been exceptions, coming out with products quickly. Maybe they only announce after reaching a certain stage in their product development. E.g. ST had samples on the day they announced the Standard Turbine and Multimax autoracks.

This has been the way some of the manufacturers have been going, ExactRail did it also, Tangent seems to announces once they have stock in hand.

Only time I saw ExactRail announce real early, is when BLMA announced the Trinity Reefer, and they were working on theirs at the same time.

[carlso]

Hecho in Mexico and ship by rail, no way. Just put the goodies in a gunny sack and throw it over "the fence".

[basementcalling]

Atlas has been putting out a lot of N scale products over the last 2 to 3 years. Consider the GP and SD series locomotives, atleast 3 to 4 models in each. Same with Alco locomotives 628/630, C420, RS 11. Yes they do have a backlog but I have faith they will show up.

Even companies with their own factory like Rapido have been taking 18 to 24 months to deliver after the announcement. BLI and ScaleTrains have been exceptions, coming out with products quickly. Maybe they only announce after reaching a certain stage in their product development. E.g. ST had samples on the day they announced the Standard Turbine and Multimax autoracks.

Atlas seems to have flow in the pipeline, but reruns of old models, even in new paint schemes, has seemed to dominate their offerings in that time frame. They aren't bringing as many new models to market as frequently as it seems they once did.

[CRL]

It makes one wonder if they’ve gotten their balance sheet out of whack and are being forced to generate revenue off of cheaper to manufacture products using old molds but new paint schemes in order to earn enough to fund the new tool manufacturing for the promised new releases.

It can be a viscous circle that can take a company down if something unexpected happens... like a pandemic.

[Mark5]

We can only speculate. If it's true that there was a shift from easy terms to cash up front in the (China) factories, this certainly would make it more challenging to bring new product to market.

[GaryHinshaw]

It can be a viscous circle...

Beware the viscous circle:

[OldEastRR]

Where's the FA?

[Mark5]

Where's the FA?

Container hasn't shipped yet: https://shop.atlasrr.com/t-ordership.aspx

[CBQ Fan]

Container hasn't shipped yet: https://shop.atlasrr.com/t-ordership.aspx

That page isn’t always updated timely.  I have seen that date and the atlas shipping date updated right about or after a product arrived. 

[Rossford Yard]

Someone here alerted us to a sale on the old RPS site, which I took advantage of.  Didn't see that they had sold these to Atlas, but they are very, very nice models. Only downside is if you have small children around who touch despite constant warnings to not touch (  ) I put them near the back of the layout where small hands can't reach, but old eyes can't see the wonderful detail.  Such is life.

As to model flows, many years ago on the then Atlas forums, Paul Graf told us that in that recession (probably 2006+/-) that their strategy was going to be more reprints than new tooling to get through the pre-supposed downtrend of sales.  I'm sure Covid strategy is similar, although in both cases, industry wide, model railroad sales were remarkably steady.  Even so, it makes sense to me as a strategy, as does re-issuing any tooling, including all the new tooling from RPS and Walthers/Lifelike.

[C855B]

... I'm sure Covid strategy is similar, although in both cases, industry wide, model railroad sales were remarkably steady. ...

Actually? The forced stay-at-home seriously benefited the hobby. The owner of one online store I frequent told me his business was up by at least 50% and it was a real challenge to keep basics - especially track - in stock. "Everybody's building a layout!" I recall him saying.

Unfortunately the unexpected calamity and the severity of the response couldn't be anticipated to account for manufacturing lead times. Ceding production tooling and, these days, design to offshore makers meant you couldn't goose the pipeline to meet what would eventually be a temporary demand window. It was a big opportunity lost.

[ncbqguy]

Don’t forget that Covid impacted the people in China as well.
We have been fortunate to get any product during our various degrees of quarantine.
Many companies couldn’t operate here (for example, Kato USA was shut down on account of the Illinois regulations).
Hopefully, because Model Railroad sales were relatively strong in these difficult times we’ll start seeing new projects in the future.
Charlie Vlk

[Rossford Yard]

The HIAA used to put out annual wholesale sales figures, but I haven't seen that in a few years.  My "steady" sales remark came from memory of one year in the recession holding exactly steady at just over $400 Million, and another year, they were excited to put out a press release that it had jumped to $428 Million (all from memory, could be off a bit) 

And, I agree with Charlie, no one could have anticipated COVID and with lead times, it was probably hard to get the product in the pipeline to take advantage of it.

Good to hear "everyone is building layouts" even if it is only one source.  I remember the Sam Posey book, from the early 2000's. He interviewed one of the Walthers guys, who said they sold something like 29 actual miles of Atlas flex track in HO.  I was amazed by that number, and especially since that would most likely be bought by beginners, with Shinohara, Peco, and others being more attractive to experienced modelers.  Also, would have to figure N scale and other scales would perhaps double that total. 

Somehow, I figured that would be about 6000 actual new 4 x 8's in HO using typical track amounts.  I think I even figured some of that would be bought by modelers expanding their layout, etc.

I wonder what those figures might be now?  Any way you cut it, I think MR is a sneaky big hobby!